It is known to use resistive current limiters which switch off the current in less than 1 ms to protect large rectifier installations and other electrotechnical equipment against short-circuit currents which may possibly occur. Such a current limiter comprises a pressure-resistant insulating housing in which there is a current conductor and which contains an explosive capsule which is caused to explode by an ignition pulse. As a result of the explosion, the explosive capsule ruptures the current conductor at a prepared weak point. The sudden current interruption produces a high voltage which conducts the current on to a parallel circuit path comprising a fusible link (cf. "Lexikon der Energietechnik und Kraftmasohinen" ("Lexicon of power engineering and driving machines"), volume 6, 1965, page 570).
It is furthermore known that, in the case of high-temperature superconductors, there is, for every temperature below their critical temperature T.sub.c, a critical current density j.sub.c, and if it is exceeded, the superconduction breaks down and the conductor exhibits only metallic conductivity (cf. W. Buckel: "Supraleitung" ("Superconduction"), 3rd edition, 1984, pages 172 and 173).
A disadvantage of the known current limiter is that it is destroyed by the short-circuit current which occurs and therefore has subsequently to be replaced.